JULIAN P. GRAHAM/COURTESY PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY LAGORIO ARCHIVES
Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Part 2 – Marion Hollins was an incredible athlete and visionary. I would call her the Brian Jones of sports. (Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones played any and every instrument he ever picked up proficiently) Marion was a master golfer who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 1921.
Marion was considered the finest equestrian person of her day. She also was an accomplished tennis player, marksman, swimmer and even a car racer. No matter what sport she played she instantly became a dominating force. What makes this more impressive is that she attained such greatness in the male dominated world of the 1920’s.
I think most of us are familiar with the cypress tree at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula in California. This is the home of the well-known Pebble Beach Golf Course. The World Golf Hall of Fame architect, Alister MacKenzie designed the course. But what is not commonly said is that Marion Hollins worked side by side with Alister to assist with design and approve Pebble Beach, Augusta and Pasatiempo. What is amazing is that Marion Hollin’s name is not mentioned.
What’s even more amazing is at the time, Augusta’s Chairman, Clifford Roberts made it known to MacKenzie that Ms. Hollins was not welcome at Augusta. To which MacKenzie replied:
She has been associated with me in three golf courses and not only are her own ideas valuable, but she is thoroughly conversant in regard to the character of work I like. I want her views and her personal impressions in regard to the way the work is being carried out. I do not know of any man who has sounder ideas.
Marion Hollins. From the George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress)
Alister MacKenzie came to develop the Pebble Beach Golf Course at the invitation of Marion Hollins. The story behind the story is S.F.B. Morse was developing the Monterey Peninsula and asked Marion, who was now his athletic director, to help him develop a golf course. Marion brought Alister MacKenzie in to design that course. Together they worked side by side to develop one of the greatest golf courses ever played. Today it ranks No. 2 on GOLF Magazines Top 100 in the United States and the World list.
In my opinion it was on the infamous 16th hole that Marion solidified her place in golf history. MacKenzie did not want to place the 16th hole at that location. He thought it was not possible to drive a ball to a green that far across the ocean. So Marion said, “Let’s see.” She dropped a ball, teed up and drove it over 219 yards across the Pacific Ocean to a spot where the 16th hole now resides. MacKenzie smiled and said, “OK, we’ll put it there.”
Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Marion’s accomplishments are vast and far reaching. She was a champion in the world of golf as well as other sports. She was trailblazer and the only known woman golf course developer who helped create three world class golf courses. She was an amazing person and…
Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Long Live the Forgotten! ~ Sebastian St. George
Check out the previous Blogs in this New Series!
Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The Blog Series
Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The story of Harriet Quimby
